MEED reported that France’s Alstom has won 2 contracts for work on the Phase I of the Casablanca tramway in Morocco.

One contract covers the design, build and installation of railway signaling. The second contract involves providing 23 electrical substations and substation buildings which will supply power to the catenary systems. The contracts are worth about EUR 11 million and the work is scheduled to finish in October 2012. The tram itself is due to start operating in December 2012.

In December 2009, Alstom was awarded USD 283 million contract to provide 74 trams to Morocco’s Casa Transports to use on the tramway. Casa Transports is state run and is overseeing the development of the tramway.

Alstom will also maintain the trams for 15 years under the deal. It plans to deliver the first trams to Casa Transports by the end of 2011. Line 1 will comprise 50 stations on 29 kilometers line crossing the city from east to west. Casa Transports plans to build three more lines, with the entire tram network set to run a total length of 76 kilometers. The tram is part of Casa Transports USD 5.9 billion overhaul of the city’s urban infrastructure. The wider plan also includes the development of bus services and a highway.

(Sourced from MEED)